The Latest Round of Rumors — Security Precautions

I’m one of those people others consider a road warrior.  I travel routinely.  I relish the adventures and find ways to enjoy  business travel whenever possible.  I travel enough that I get the free upgrades, don’t pay to check luggage, and can use the expedited security lines in Memphis (my primary airport).  Because it’s so routine, several people have gotten in touch about the latest incident involving the Nigerian man who had explosives on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Well, my thoughts focus in a few areas:

• Safety & security are important to all of us
• There are different strategies to achieving that goal
• I will likely not agree with whatever new security measures the TSA introduces 

As of now, the TSA has only given broad indications of what may happen (click here).  So some of the rumors I’ve heard and my responses to them are:

• 100 percent physical screening of international passengers — Guilty until proven innocent will make the guilty get more creative, it already has.  I do not appreciate being treated like a criminal and yet have been subjected to it when I’ve tried to return home from abroad. Still evil, creative people find ways around the system.
• No electronics on international flights — Are you freakin kidding me? Even our cameras are electronics. Do they expect me to check that?  And how many more flight attendants will be needed if none of us can zone out to tunes, etc?
• Last hour lock down — This is a an interesting idea. Have NOTHING in your lap for the last hour of flight, do not touch your carryon, do not even think about going to the bathroom. Rational? No. What if someone has a medical issue?  I don’t always plan when I may need my inhaler.

So I doubt the first two areas get much attention.  The reality is, to date, the TSA has made great improvements to the screening processes we’ve gone under since 9-11.  Having a friend who’s apartment had the greatest view of the World Trade Center before that day, having lived in New York metro for some time, knowing lots of people who work/worked ed in downtown Manhattan and having stayed in the hotel which was the site of the first attempted bombing (the garage… do you remember?)  I have certainly not been able to forget that act of terror or what the terrorists hoped to achieve.   I also can’t willingly suggest that we let them win.

At this point, I think the Onion may be onto something with the article on eliminating passengers!  Since I can’t really figure out a way that will help me, I will continue trying to reach out to people of different cultures.  People like my college friends who have a different religion than my family but share the appreciation of life I was brought up with — people who can help change the world for the better!